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Cowichan Valley, Nanaimo to receive almost $3 million in federal funding for homeless

Funding will come through Reaching Home program
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Ottawa to provide almost $3 million for homeless programs in the central Vancouver Island region. (Citizen file photo)

The federal government is investing almost $3 million in the Cowichan Valley and Nanaimo, including Indigenous and urban communities, in 2024-25 to help support programs addressing homelessness issues.

The funding will be delivered through the federal Reaching Home program, which helps individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness in accessing or sustaining safe, stable, and affordable housing.

“Homelessness impacts every community across Canada, and there is no single cause or blanket solution,” said Jonathan Wilkinson, minister of Energy and Natural Resources, on behalf of Sean Fraser, minister of Housing, Infrastructure, and Communities.

“That is why we are investing in community-led projects in Nanaimo, Cowichan, and Duncan. By working closely with provincial partners and supporting grassroots networks, we can continue building on local solutions and making sure all Canadians have paths to safe and stable housing.”

Since 2019, the Reaching Home program has helped 472 individuals in the Cowichan Valley and Nanaimo find more stable housing, and more than 1,300 to maintain their current housing.

More than 65 per cent of people who accessed services funded by Reaching Home remained housed or successfully exited the program.

A further 97 per cent of individuals who accessed programs remained housed three months after receiving prevention services.

As social challenges continue to increase, so does the need, and the funding opportunity was oversubscribed this year.

Thirty-five applications were received and 22 agencies were approved for funding, with some receiving a partial portion of their request.

Since 2012, United Way British Columbia has been a trusted partner and the community entity for the Reaching Home program in the central Vancouver Island region.

The organization has fostered close relationships with agencies and First Nations in the region to address many issues, including homelessness.

“It was a difficult choice and the community advisory boards had to consider priorities and sustainability for programs,” said Julie Rushton, United Way BC’s community impact manager.

“As much as we would like to fund everybody, we have to make decisions based on the board’s community priorities, the Government of Canada’s priorities, and desired outcomes.”